Pando Nach ma Kunti Gainda Katha : A story of Rhinoceros in Pando Folk dance

(Garhwali folk Dance Songs, Uttarakhandi Folk Dance- Songs, Himalayan Folk dance-Songs)

                          Bhishm Kukreti

    There are tens of story sung at the time of Pando Folk Dance of Garhwal and Kumaun regions by Aujees.

There is one very peculiar story of Gainda or rhinoceros in Pando folk dance-song of Kumaun and Garhwal.

 Kunti, the mother of Pandavas sees a dream that instruct her to bring the skin of rhinoceros for the annual Shradh performance of her husband King Pandu .

Kunti orders five Pandavas to bring the skin of rhinoceros. Pnadavas become ready for bringing the skin of rhinoceros.

In the mean time, Draupadi the wife of all Pandvas also become ready with them to help them in case of

hunger, thirst, rough roads etc. However, Pandavas tell her that since, she does not have dress and ornaments as a queen should have she should not company her.

 When Pandvas come to Hariyali tal forest, they sees a Sitarami rhinoceros. The rhinoceros was a female rhinoceros and she tells them that her husband is in Gagal forest. Pandavas goes to Gagal forest and they kill the rhinoceros and bring skin of rhinoceros for the ritual of Shradh of thei father Pandu as instructed by mother Kunti.

  There is contrast in the story that queen Draupadi becomes ready to share the pain of her husbands Pnadvas  and the wife of rhinoceros Sitarami tells the secret of her husband’ whereabouts. Here, in the story, there is no mention that Pandavas threatened  Sitarami .

 The songs have various emotions woven into it. There is curiosity for audience whether Pandavas would be successful or not. The sacrifice of Draupadi and the deceptive nature of female rhinoceros bring different emotions.

  The folk song is proof that folk song creator were master of psychology besides being master of form of poetries.

पंडो नृत्य मा कुंती माता अर गैंडा क कथा

कोंती माता सुपिनो ह्व़े गे , ताछुम ताछुम

पांडु का सराध कु चैन्द गैंडो , ताछुम ताछुम

ओड़ू आवा नेडू आवा मेरा पांच पंडाउ, ताछुम ताछुम

तुम जावा पंडउ गैंडा कि खोज, ताछुम ताछुम

सरध क चैन्द पंडो गैंडा की खाल , ताछुम ताछुम

तब पैट्या , पंडो , गैंडो की खाल ,ताछुम ताछुम

नारी दुरपता तप कना बैन बोदा, ताछुम ताछुम

मी बि मेरा स्वामी स्न्ग्मांग औंदु , ताछुम ताछुम

भूक लागलि मै भोजन ह्व़े जौलू , ताछुम ताछुम

तीस लगली मी पाणि ह्व़े जौलू , ताछुम ताछुम

उकाळ लगली मै लाठी बणी जौलो, ताछुम ताछुम

पसीना होलू मै साफा ह्व़े जौलू , ताछुम ताछुम

सेज की बगत मै नारी ह्व़े जौलू, ताछुम ताछुम

जुद्ध लगलो मै कालिका ह्व़े जौलू ,ताछुम ताछुम

त्वेकू होलू मेरी नारी , भूषण बिस्तर ,ताछुम ताछुम

तू घर रैली बैठीं दुरपता . ताछुम ताछुम

तब घुमदा गें पंडाउ गैंडा की खोज, ताछुम ताछुम

ऐ गेन पंडौ हरियाली की ताल, ताछुम ताछुम

वख देखी तौंन सीतारामी गैंडो, ताछुम ताछुम

मै छऊँ पंडो , जनानी जात ,ताछुम ताछुम

में मारिक काम नि होण क्वी , ताछुम ताछुम

तुम जावा पंडो , गागळी का बौण , ताछुम ताछुम

मेरा स्वामी रैन्दो , वख स्वामिपाल, ताछुम ताछुम

तब गैन पंडो गागळी क बण, ताछुम ताछुम ,

गैंडा का ग्वेर छयो नागार्जुन , ताछुम ताछुम

माल़ू ग्वीराळ म्यारो गैंडा नि खांदो, ताछुम ताछुम

पीली छंचरी मेरो गैंडा को चैन्दो , ताछुम ताछुम

तब मारे पंडो न स्वामीपाल गैंडो , ताछुम ताछुम

तब गडी पंडो न गैंडो की खगोती ,ताछुम ताछुम

Source Dr Goivind Chatak and Dr.Shiva Nand Nautiyal

Garhwali folk Dance Songs, Uttarakhandi Folk Dance- Songs, Himalayan Folk dance-Songs to be continued in next page……

Copyright @ Bhishm Kukreti